Ice Hotel, Northern Lights & Hurtigruten - 9 days

Sweden Winter Tours, Start in Stockholm

Travel to a magical winter Lapland and join optional dog sledding, snowmobiling and king crab safaris! Start in Stockholm and continue by overnight train to the Ice Hotel in Sweden. Travel to Abisko for Northern Lights observations at the Aurora sky station before making your way through the Arctic wilderness to Norway. Cruise with Hurtigruten from Harstad to Kirkenes.

Day 03: Arrival in Jukkasjärvi / Optional Northern Lights tours

Overnight at Kaamos Hotel (warm accommodation, next to the Ice Hotel).

Day 04: Optional winter activities / Overnight at the Ice Hotel

Breakfast at the hotel.

Day at leisure in Jukkasjärvi.

Recommended winter activities:

Wilderness Snowmobile Safari

Dog sledding – 4,5 hours

Ice Driving

Visit to a Reindeer farm

Northern Lights tour on horseback

Overnight at Jukkasjärvi Ice Hotel

Day 05: Northern Lights Observations in Abisko

Morning sauna, followed by breakfast.

Transfer from the Ice Hotel to Kiruna train station

Train from Kiruna to Abisko

Return ticket by cable car to Aurora Sky Station, including hire of warm aurora watchers overall and a guided tour

4-course dinner at the Aurora Sky Station (Hotel Category 1 only)

Accommodation at Abisko Tourist Station

Day 06: Travel from Abisko to Harstad (Norway)

Breakfast at the hotel

Train from Abisko to Narvik (Norway)

Bus from Narvik to Harstad via Evenes airport

Accommodation in Harstad

Day 07: Cruise departure with Hurtigruten

Breakfast at the hotel

Hurtigruten morning cruise departure

Optional Shore Excursions:

The Arctic Capital Tromsø

Dog Sledding, Tromsø

Polar History Walk, Tromsø

Dinner and accommodation onboard Hurtigruten

Day 08: Cruise to Honningsvåg / Optional North Cape Excursion

Hurtigruten Cruise

Attractions along the coast:

The North Cape (only on shore excursion)

Fishing station

Sværholdtklubben, bird cliffs

Finnkjerka, mountain formation

Optional Shore Excursions:

The North Cape

Snowmobile trip in Lapland

Breakfast buffet & dinner onboard

Accommodation onboard Hurtigruten

Day 09: Cruise to Kirkenes - located by the Russian boarder

Hurtigruten Cruise arrival in Kirkenes at 09:00 hrs

Breakfast onboard

Attractions along the coast:

Kirkenes, the turning point of the journey

Optional Shore Excursions:

The Russian Border

Snowmobile Safari, Kirkenes

Kirkenes Snow Hotel

Husky Sledge Adventure

Departure from Kirkenes according to your own itinerary

Day 01: Arrival in Stockholm - the capital of Sweden

Arrival in Stockholm according to your own itinerary. Sweden’s capital is stretched across an archipelago of 14 islands connected by a network of waterways and bridges. Visit the old town “Gamla Stan”; a maze of narrow cobbled alleyways lined with restaurants and boutiques. This is one of the best-preserved medieval city centres in Northern Europe, with its oldest structure dating back to the thirteenth century. Other sights of interest include the Royal Palace, the Vasa Museum, Skansen Open Air Museum, the City Hall and Stockholm Cathedral. We also recommend a cruise in the Stockholm archipelago, comprising 24.000 islands. Accommodation in Stockholm.

Day 02: Overnight train to Kiruna / optional Treehotel

Breakfast at the hotel. Spend the day exploring Stockholm, both by land and by sea. We recommend one of the optional sightseeing tours, i.e. the Stockholm Winter cruise where the guide on board the boat tells interesting facts and stories about Stockholm, or perhaps try your skills at long distance ice skating on the numerous large and small lakes of Lake Mälaren. At 6 pm your overnight train to Kiruna departs from Stockholm. As an alternative to heading straight to the Ice Hotel we recommend breaking the tour and adding an overnight at the Treehotel in Harads, located 3,5 hours south of the Ice Hotel (please contact us for further information). Accommodation in a sleeping compartment onboard the train.

Day 03: Arrival in Jukkasjärvi / Optional Northern Lights tours

At 10.30 am you will be met at the train station in Kiruna and transferred to Sweden's Ice Hotel. The Ice Hotel is situated in the small village of Jukkasjärvi in Swedish Lapland. For the last 23 years artists from all over the world have gathered here to create the world's largest Ice hotel. The hotel has over 50 rooms built each year from snow and crystal clear ice and you will also find an ice chapel, an ice art exhibition hall, a cinema and the famous ‘Absolut Ice Bar’. The interior is always between -5°C to -8°C, even when it gets up to -37°C outside. In 2012, the Ice Hotel will open on Friday, 7th of December and some building work will continue into early January where guests can watch the creation of this masterpiece. Winter activities have not been included in this tour giving you the opportunity to choose freely amongst the activities on offer in Jukkasjärvi. It's recommended that you book these in advance. This evening we recommend joining one of the Northern Lights tours. Overnight at Kaamos Hotel (warm accommodation) next to the Ice Hotel.

Day 04: Optional winter activities / Overnight at the Ice Hotel

Breakfast at the hotel. This day is at your own leisure. We recommend joining one of the winter activities such as dog sledding, where you can experience driving your own team of huskies, a snow mobile safari or rent cross country skies or snowshoeing equipment and head off on your own. In the evening, guests can choose to dine at the Ice Hotel Restaurant, awarded with the prestigious Werner Vögeli Statuette and featured in gourmet magazines around the world. Alternatively, dine at the authentic and charming Old Homestead Restaurant 800 meters away from the Ice Hotel, which offers a rustic á la carte menu and overlooking the Torne River. Tonight you will stay at the Ice Hotel, in rooms furnished with furniture made from ice and snow. You will sleep in a thermal sleeping bag on comfortable reindeer skins in a special bed built of snow and ice (please see hotel description for further details about the Ice Hotel and dining options).

Day 05: Northern Lights Observations in Abisko

In the morning you will wake up to a cup of hot lingonberry juice at your bedside. Take a walk to the sauna to warm up before breakfast is served at the restaurant. Transfer from the Ice Hotel to the train station in Kiruna for your 2 pm train towards Abisko is included (1,5 hrs train ride). Here you will stay at Abisko Tourist Station, located only a few minutes’ walk from the chairlift going up to the Aurora Sky Station in the evening. Before travelling up to the station you will be provided with warm overalls and blankets. The mountain station is an excellent location to observe the Northern lights since there is no air pollution and the nearby lake Torne träsk, "the blue hole of Abisko” is said to keep the skies above the mountain station clear, even when fog covers other parts of Lapland. Upon arrival you will join a guided tour. At the Aurora Sky Station you will find a panorama café selling coffee, tea, cakes and sandwiches, a souvenir shop and look-out tower. There is also a Northern Lights exhibition, which emphasizes observing and understanding the Northern Lights. The observations are made with help of both radio receivers and Northern Lights cameras. Please note that for guests booking category 1, a 4-course dinner is included at the restaurant. Accommodation at Abisko Tourist Station.

Day 06: Travel from Abisko to Harstad (Norway)

Breakfast at the hotel followed by a 1,5-hour train ride to Narvik, Norway. You will travel by train on a scenic route passing through Abisko National park, with the mountain Kebnekaise as backdrop, towards the port town of Narvik on the Norwegian coast. Just after having passed the border between Sweden and Norway the train travels slowly downhill from the mountain region and for the last part of the journey you can look down into the deep Rombakks fjord with a view of Lofoten Mountains in the far background. From Narvik you will travel by two buses for approximately three hours to Harstad, including a 45-minute stop at Evenes airport. Harstad is a small coastal town located on the island Hinnøya. Accommodation in Harstad.

Day 07: Cruise departure with Hurtigruten

Breakfast at the hotel followed by a morning departure with Hurtigruten. Hurtigruten is often referred to as the world’s most beautiful sea voyage where along the way you will experience the spectacular Norwegian nature. Today you will arrive at Tromsø at 14:30 hrs where you will have four hours at leisure. You can join one of the shore excursions; dog sledding or sightseeing in Tromsø (see add-ons) or head out on your own. The Arctic city of Tromsø is the world’s most Northern university town and the largest city in the Nordic countries north of the Arctic Circle. The city lies between the sharp craggy peaks of the Lyngen Alps, and combines wild scenery with urban life. Due to Tromsø's location right in the middle of the planet’s Northern Light’s belt, the city offers the world’s best chances of spotting the Northern Lights. Sights of interest in Tromsø include the Polar Museum, Northern Light Planetarium and Tromsø Museum. The ship departs Tromsø at 18:30 hrs. Dinner and accommodation onboard.

Day 08: Cruise to Honningsvåg / Optional North Cape Excursion

This morning you will spend at sea before arriving in Honningsvåg around noon. Excursion possibility to the North Cape Plateau where you can admire the panoramic view of the wide open expanse of the Arctic Ocean. Entrance to the North Cape Hall with viewing platform, souvenir shops, cinema, cafeteria and restaurant, is included in the excursion (please see add-ons for the additional cost for the excursion). The cruise continues in the afternoon towards Kirkenes. Dinner and accommodation onboard

Day 09: Cruise to Kirkenes - located by the Russian boarder

While you sleep, the ship continues sailing east along the Varanger peninsula, past Båtsfjord and Vardø. At breakfast time, you will pass by Vadsø, the administrative centre of Finnmark. It was from here that the Arctic explorers Roald Amundsen and Lincoln Ellsworth began their flights over the North Pole in the airship, Norge. At 9.00 am you will arrive in Kirkenes, the last stop on the northbound journey with Hurtigruten. Here you will disembark, but before leaving Kirkenes you have the opportunity to choose between several shore excursions. Or perhaps you would like to add on an overnight stay in Kirkenes, or even spend the night at Kirkenes Ice Hotel (please see add-ons)? Departure from Kirkenes will be according to your own itinerary.

Any Questions?

About Northern Lights

If you are outdoors one evening during wintertime you might catch a glimpse of some
flickering curtains of lights, apparently dancing across the dark sky. This is Northern Lights -
Nature's own firework.

Facts about Northern Lights:

The Northern Lights are particles that are hurled into space after storms on the sun’s
surface. They are attracted by the magnetic North Pole (and South Pole) and enter
the atmosphere in a ring-like zone around the poles.

The best places to see the Northern Lights are above the arctic circle, making
Northern Scandinavia ideal for Northern Lights observations.

The Northern Lights are visible between November and March when the sky is dark
and clear, depending on the Northern Lights activity.

The best chances of spotting the Northern Lights are away from the lights of the city
centres.

The greatest frequency is between 6 pm and 2 am.

Patience and dedication will pay off. The Northern Lights may be visible for a couple
of minutes or most of the evening.

Most of the Northern Lights outbursts visible in Northern Scandinavia are green, but
large outbursts can also include other colors.

Northern Lights observations are never guaranteed.

How to increase your chances of experiencing the Northern Lights:

Go on a Northern Lights visit to a dark place away from the city lights. Our Northern
Lights hosts provide a lavvo (traditional Saami tent) with an open fire, a hot drink and
a slice of cake while you are waiting for the Northern Lights to appear.

Participate in an evening activity like dog sledding, a sleigh ride, a trip with reindeer
and sled, snowshoeing or a cross-country skiing course. This way, you can enjoy a
fun winter activity whilst at the same time wait for the Northern Lights to appear.

When in Tromsø take bus 37 to Tromsø Museum and take a long stroll along Tromsø
Island’s dark western side. Use a couple of hours strolling to the bus terminal at
Giæverbukta, from where there are frequent departures to the city centre right up until
11:30pm.

Hire cross-country skis at Sportshuset in Tromsø. Go on a long ski trip in the floodlit
ski tracks above the city. Good exercise, fresh air, great views and maybe the
appearance of the Northern Lights as well. There are also good floodlit ski tracks
across the bridge in Tromsdalen.

Go on the popular excursion, departing Tromsø by bus at 4pm and arriving in
Skjervøy in time to return to Tromsø on the Costal Express Steamer (Hurtigruten).
The ship travels through utter darkness and has excellent viewing lounges, which
makes it possible to sit inside without missing out on the possibility to see the
Northern Lights. It is possible to check the weather forecast and book this tour at the
Visitors’ Centre right up until an hour before departure.

Booking and Payment Procedure

1) Reservations
All reservations will be on request; you will not receive an immediate online confirmation.

2) Confirmation of services
You will receive a confirmation by e-mail as soon as all services (hotels, trains etc.) included
in the selected package tour are confirmed. The confirmation will be sent to you between 24-
48 hours after the reservation has been made (Monday-Friday).

3) Payment
Information about payment procedures will be sent to you by e-mail simultaneously with the
confirmation of all services.
We offer the following methods of payment:

Secure online payment by credit card

By credit card through our office terminal (credit card details must be sent by fax)

Bank transfer

The following credit cards are accepted: VISA and MasterCard

4) Deposit
A deposit of EUR 100 per person is due within 10 days of receiving our confirmation. For package tours including Göta Canal and longer voyages with Hurtigruten, as well as for Escorted Coach Tours, Partly Escorted Tours and Winter Tours, a deposit of 10% of the total booking price is due within 10 days of receiving our confirmation. The deposit is non-refundable. By longer cruises with Hurtigruten we refer to cruises of 3 nights and more.

5) Additional add-ons
Once we have received your deposit you can book additional add-ons, including sightseeing,
city cards etc. Further information will be sent in a separate e-mail as soon as we have
received your deposit.
Should any of the additional add-ons be essential for your to commit to the reservation,
please kindly specify the required add-ons in the remarks field when submitting your
reservation (step 3 in the booking process). Examples of such add-ons may be dog-sledding,
overnight at ice hotel etc.

6) Final payment
Final payment is due 45 days prior to travel. For package tours including Hurtigruten and Göta Canal, as well as our Winter Tours, the final payment is due 65 days prior to travel.

7) Last minute bookings
Bookings made less than 45/65 days prior to travel must be paid in full as soon as you receive our written confirmation.

8) Failure to complete payment
Automatic cancellation of your booking will occur if payment has not been received by the
specified date.

9) Travel Documents
The travel documents will be sent to you by e-mail after we have received your final payment.
The documents will be sent no later than 2 weeks before the start of your tour.

Terms And Conditions

Booking conditions
All bookings, changes, alternations and cancellations must be made in writing.
All rates are quoted in euro (EUR) per person and include taxes and VAT. Authentic
Scandinavia guarantees no changes in the prices of confirmed tours. A detailed list of
all services included in the tour price will be specified under each tour (please see Price
Details). Any extra expenses incurred by the client during the tour, for example use of
telephone, hotel mini-bars, etc. must be paid directly by the client to the hotel or other
provider of such services, prior to departure.

Amendments to confirmed reservations
Changes to confirmed tours will incur a EUR 50 amendment fee. This fee will apply to each
amendment made for the tour.

Refunds and unused services
Travel arrangements cancelled or amended within 24 hours of your departure or once travel
has commenced will not qualify for any refunds, nor can services be substituted for
alternative arrangements. Unused services are non-refundable.

The date of the cancellation shall be when Authentic Scandinavia receives it in writing (our office hours are Monday-Friday 09:00 – 17:00 hrs, CET).

The following cancellation fees apply on Independent- and Escorted Tours:
Over 30 days prior to departure - Loss of full deposit
Between 30-15 days prior to departure - 50% of total payment
Between 14-0 days prior to departure - 100% of total payment

The following cancellation fees apply on tours including Hurtigruten & Göta Canal, and our Winter Tours:
Over 60 days prior to departure - Loss of full deposit
Between 60-42 days prior to departure - 30% of total payment
Between 41-28 days prior to departure - 60% of total payment
Between 27-0 days prior to departure - 100% of total payment

Passport, visas, customs, currency and health regulations
Every participant is responsible for providing his/her own travel documents (i.e. passport,
visa, vaccination certificates etc). We recommend a careful examination of the customs/duty
regulations and currency regulations for the respective destination(s). Please note that your
passport details are required for all bookings including cruises (overnight cruises, as well as
all cruises with Hurtigruten).

Travel insurance
Authentic Scandinavia recommends that each customer has adequate travel insurance, also
to include cancellation cover.

Authentic Scandinavia can not be held responsible for loss of luggage, or other personal
possessions, for personal injury, accident or illness. In the event of personal injury, accident
or illness, Authentic Scandinavia cannot be required to make any refunds should the tour be
partially cancelled or cancelled.

Cancellation by Authentic Scandinavia
Due to reasons of higher power and reasons beyond our control, Authentic Scandinavia
reserves the right to cancel the tour. Monies paid for services will be refunded, but Authentic
Scandinavia will not be liable for any further claims.

Liability by Authentic Scandinavia
Authentic Scandinavia has the obligation to choose all services carefully, and to prepare the
tour in the best way possible. In the unlikely event that services are not fully carried out due
to an error through Authentic Scandinavia, we reserve the right to provide equivalent
services in compensation. In this case, further damage claims will not be accepted.
Subject to this settlement, in case a breach of contract is committed the direct liability of
Authentic Scandinavia for immediate loss or injury to the client subsists, provided that the
breach was not caused by Force Majeure or the behavior of the client or a tour participant,
and that it is a question of the non-performance of a promised service or an alteration of
services which has less value than the service agreed upon in the original agreement. The
amount of this liability is restricted by the sum of the agreed cost of the tour.

Furthermore the providers of the various services are basically personally liable to the client,
in case the services are not being carried out in a satisfying way or to their full extent,
contrary to the expectations.

The liability of the individual coach, taxi, shipping and other transport companies contracted
by Authentic Scandinavia for the purpose of organizing a tour, depends on the appropriate
laws of the general conditions of business, on the contracts obligations and on common
usage.

Any arising complaints must be directed to Authentic Scandinavia immediately and confirmed
in writing. In case complaints cannot be solved on the spot, they have to be directed to
Authentic Scandinavia in writing within 30 days after the termination of the tour. Later claims
cannot be taken into consideration.

Activities
Some of our tour packages include activities such as dog sledding, and optional activities
such as glacier walks, snowmobile safaris, ice fishing and similar. In this relation Authentic
Scandinavia acts as an agent only for the activity providers, thus Authentic Scandinavia shall
not under any circumstances be held liable for injury, damage, loss or accident caused by
participation in or in connection with such activities.

Acceptance
By paying the deposit/final amount the customer has accepted the general terms and
conditions listed in this document, as a part of the agreement between Authentic Scandinavia
and the customer.

Privacy policy
We ask for personal information in the booking request section. This information is necessary
to ensure that we are able to make and confirm your booking. This information will not be
used for any other purpose, and will not be shared with any other outside parties except for
necessary information given to our suppliers involved in your reservation (hotels etc.).

The personal information will not be sold or shared, and your e-mail address will not be
forwarded to outside parties.

Customer Protection

Authentic Scandinavia is a member of the Norwegian Tour Guarantee fund (RGF), which guarantees for all package travel in Norway. Norwegian tour operators are required by law to be a member of RGF. Read more.

Travel Insurance

We strongly recommend that you purchase a travel insurance when booking a tour, also to include cancellation cover. A travel insurance can be bought online, for example through WorldNomads. Read more